Learning outcome

 Apply the concept and operation principles of PN junction and the diode
application as a circuit element. (Cognitive, Applying - Level 3)
Objectives

To understand To understand

1 the basic
properties of p-
n junction
2 the operation of
p-n diode as a
circuit element
Outline

PN junction

Diode current

Diode as an element circuit

I-V characteristic of Diode

Diode models

Diode properties: resistance & capacitance

Zener diode
 Wait, wait.
Before that, let’s review on last chapter
 N-type semiconductor  P-type semiconductor

Donor impurity, ND Acceptor impurity, NA

Majority carrier is electron (n)
Minority carrier is hole (p)
At room temperature (300K), all atoms are ionized
Fixed charge
(ionized impurity donor atoms, ND)
Mobile charge
( electron )
Majority carrier is hole (p)
Minority carrier is electron (n)
At room temperature (300K), all atoms are ionized
Fixed charge
(ionized impurity acceptor atoms, NA)

Mobile charge
( hole)

N-type P-type
What is PN junction?
The structure
 PN junction

 The PN Junction is formed when p‐type region is joined with the n‐type
region. This is a basic structure forms a semiconductor diode.
 Step Junction - impurity type changes abruptly from donor to acceptor
 Large concentration gradients of free electrons and holes at the interface
causing hole to diffusion to the right and electron to diffusion to the left

PN junction

Many holes (majority carriers) Many free electrons (majority

and only a few thermally carriers) and only a few thermally
generated free electrons generated holes
(minority carriers).
PN junction
 PN junction
The phenomenon
 (1) p-type semiconductor joins with n-type semiconductor
Positive ion
Negative ion PN junction (fixed charge)
(fixed charge) - When donor donate an electron (ionized)
- When acceptor accepts an electron (ionized)
e- h+ e- e-
- - - - + + + +
Majority carrier Minority carrier
h+ h+ h+ h+ e- h+
- Free holes - Free holes
(mobile charge) - - - - + + + + (mobile charge)
h+ h+ e- h+ e-
- - - - + + + +
h+ e- h+ e- e- e-
Minority carrier - - - - + + + +
- Free electrons Majority carrier
h+ e- e-
(mobile charge) - Free electrons
(mobile charge)
p-type n-type
PN junction Diffusion of majority carriers
The phenomenon
 (2) Majority carriers around PN junction will diffuse through the junction
(from high concentration area to low concentration area)
High concentration Low concentration
PN junction
of free hole of free hole
e- h+ e-
- - - - e- + + + +
h+ h+ h+ e- h+
- - - - + + + +
h+
h+ h+ e- h+ e-
- - - - + + + +
h+ e- h+ e- e- e- e-
- - - - + + + +
h+ e-
Low concentration of free electron High concentration of free electron

p-type n-type
PN junction
The phenomenon
 (3) Carriers once diffuse through the junction will combine with opposite
charges (mobile carrier) near the junction. No mobile charges will be seen
near the junction. This area is known as depletion region (w).
PN junction
Depletion region
e- e-
- - - - + + + + A region depleted
h+ h+ h+ of mobile charges
- - - - + + + +
h+ h+ h+ e-
- - - - + + + +
h+ e- e- e-
- - - - + + + +
e-
Depletion region

p-type n-type
PN band diagram
PN junction
The phenomenon
 (4) Equilibrium is reached once depletion region is produced. No more
diffusion of holes and electrons over junction. Un-neutralized fixed ions in
depletion region induces an electric field across the junction.
Depletion region
e- e-
- - - - + + + +
h+ h+ h+
- - - - + + + +
h+ h+ h+ e-
- - - - + + + +
h+ e- e- e-
- - - - + + + +
e-

p-type Built in Electric field

n-type
PN junction
The phenomenon
 (5) Internal electric field within
depletion region creates a potential
difference at the junction.

 (6) This potential difference serve as

barrier for further carriers to diffuse
across the junction.

 (7) This potential difference also

known as built in voltage, Vbi
PN junction Note:
Built in voltage, Vbi Vbi cannot be measured
using multimeter.
It is easily violated by
external contacts.

Thus,
Vbi can only be predicted
through calculation.
PN junction biasing
Reaction of PN junction towards different of biasing modes
PN junction Biasing
No Applied Bias (VD = 0V)
 Absence of an applied bias voltage, carriers (electrons & holes) cannot flow through
the junction due to built in potential. Net flow of charge hence is ZERO. No current
is produced.
p-type PN junction n-type
e- e-
- - - - + + + +
h+ h+ h+
- - - - + + + +
h+ h+ h+ e-
- - - - + + + +
h+ e- e-
- - - - + + + e- +
e-
Depletion region, W

- ID = 0A
+
VD = 0V
(no bias)
PN junction Biasing
Reverse Bias (VD < 0V)
 Applied bias voltage as such, electrons in n-type are attracted toward +ve terminal of voltage source.
Holes in p-type are attracted toward –ve terminal of voltage source. Majority carriers of each p- and
n-type are hence far away from PN junction, impossible to diffuse across the junction.
p-type PN junction n-type As a result, depletion region is
getting widen.
- - - - + + + +
h+
h+ h+
- - - - + + + +
h+ e- e-
- - - - + + + +
h+ e-
- - - - + + + e- +
Depletion region, W
Is widen

Saturation current, IS
- +
Voltage source is connected in such a way where
(reverse bias) VD +ve polarity to n-type and –ve polarity to p-type.
PN junction Biasing
Reverse Bias (VD < 0V)
 Widening of depletion region will establish
greater barrier for majority carriers to
overcome. (higher Vbi)

 Thus, increase of reverse bias voltage will  The reverse saturation current, Is or I0 is very
further increase the width of depletion region.
small ( < μA ) and known as leakage current.

 However, minority carriers are promoted to get  This is unwanted current.

across junction easily under this reverse bias
mode.

 The flow of minority carriers causes the

reverse saturation current, Is or I0.
PN junction Biasing
Forward Bias (VD > 0V)
 Applied bias voltage as such, electrons in n-type are attracted toward +ve terminal of voltage source.
Holes in p-type are attracted toward –ve terminal of voltage source. Majority carriers of each p- and
n-type are hence pushed towards PN junction, making them very easy to diffuse across the junction.
p-type PN junction n-type As a result, depletion region is
h+ e- getting narrow.
- - - - + + + +
h+ e- h+
- - - - + + + +
e- h+ e-
- - - - + + + +
- - - h+ - + + + +
Depletion region, W
Is narrow

Forward current, ID
+ -
Voltage source is connected in such a way where
(Forward bias) VD +ve polarity to p-type and –ve polarity to n-type.
PN junction Biasing
Forward Bias (VD > 0V)
 Narrowing of depletion region will reduce the
barrier for majority carriers to overcome.
(lower Vbi)

 Thus, increase of forward bias voltage will  This is the current that runs the operation of a
further decrease the width of depletion region.
circuit.

 Heavy flow of majority carriers across the

junction easily under this forward bias mode.

 This lead to exponentially increased forward

current, ID.
PN junction Biasing Carrier flow is permitted in one
direction only. This property is known
Summary as rectification, a significant feature
of PN junction
 Biasing is used to decide the behavior of PN junction.

Forward bias Reverse bias

• Flow of majority carriers
through junction
• large amount of current is
generated
• Flow of minority carriers
through junction
• Since minority carriers are of
limited amount, small
current, Is will be generated
• In most cases, this current
(leakage current) is negligible
• Hence, it is treated that no
current flows when in reverse
bias mode
What is Diode?
From PN structure
The Diode
 The structure of PN forms a diode.
 The symbol & packaging of a diode:
Diode current
 By driving the applied voltage from reverse bias
to forward bias, diode’s behavior can be viewed
I-V characteristic of a diode via I-V characteristic

Forward bias
Reverse bias
Diode as circuit element
When diode is applied in a circuit …
DIODE MODELS
After completing this section, you should be able to
❏ Explain how the three diode models differ
❏ Discuss bias connections
❏ Describe the diode approximations
1. Describe the ideal diode model
2. Describe the practical diode model
3. Describe the complete diode model
 The Ideal Diode Model
The ideal model of a diode is the least accurate approximation and can be
represented by a simple switch.

- When the diode is forward-biased, it ideally acts like a closed (on) switch, as
shown in Figure below.
 The Ideal Diode Model

 When the diode is reverse-biased, it ideally acts like an open (off) switch, as shown in part (b).

 This model is adequate for most troubleshooting when you are trying to determine if the diode
is working properly.
 V-I Characteristic

VF = 0 V
-
 The Ideal Diode Model

Since the reverse current is neglected, its value is assumed to be zero, as

indicated in
V-I Figure by the portion of the curve on the negative horizontal axis

IR = 0 A

The reverse voltage equals the bias voltage

VR = VBIAS
 The Practical Diode Model
When the diode is forward-biased, it is equivalent to a closed switch in series
with a small equivalent voltage source (VF) equal to the barrier potential (0.7 V)
with the positive side toward the anode, as indicated in Figure
 The Practical Diode Model
 VF = 0.7 V
The Complete Diode Model
 The Complete Diode Model
For the complete model of a silicon diode, the following formulas apply:
Exercise
Resistance Levels
DC/Static Resistance
Diode as circuit element
To actually solve this equation, one need to depend
on diode I-V characteristic and the diode model
used.
Diode models
Ideal, Piecewise linear & Constant drop